


Strong

by Emba_N



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt Steve Harrington, Parental Jim "Chief" Hopper, Protective Eleven | Jane Hopper, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24237697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emba_N/pseuds/Emba_N
Summary: “DEMODOG! OH SHIT! DEMODOG!” Dustin screamed, as everyone’s eyes and the beams of light traveled to the creature. The low growls emitting deep from its hideous mouth as it stalked around the group. The demodog was staring straight at El. Hopper was about to run to El but Steve beat him to it, Steve jumped in front of El and the demodog seemed to have taken it as a sign to attack.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper & Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson, Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Steve Harrington & Maxine "Max" Mayfield
Comments: 7
Kudos: 133





	Strong

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I just want to say I don't know what 80's hospitals looked like so if anything in that manner is wrong, I am sorry. Happy reading!

Jim Hopper really didn’t want to be out searching for demodogs, let alone with a bunch of kids. Dusitin had called through channel 6 in a frantic voice, yelling code red. Dustin had apparently seen at least 3 demodogs outside his house in the woods. Hopper and El had ran through the forest and jumped into Hopper’s police cruiser and speeded to Dustin’s house. 

It turns out Steve and the kids and Joyce had beaten Hopper and El to Dustin’s house because when Hopper pulled into Dustin’s driveway 2 cars were sitting in the driveway. When Hopper and El entered the house they found an extremely frantic Dustin telling the party what had happened. Steve was holding his nailed bat and Nancy was holding a shotgun. Hopper’s original plan was to bring Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan and leave the kids at the house but that plan was quickly cut short by the kids, who clearly wouldn’t be letting that happen.

So here Hopper was, being surrounded by interdimensional monster dogs in the woods at 10 at night. The horrifying howls slicing through the silence of the forest. The flashlight beams flying all over the place. The howls coming from each direction making everyone spin to the new sound. Hopper and Nancy both lifting their guns up as Steve lifted his bat as he stood in front of the kids. El had managed to position herself further away form the group. The howls ended abruptly and everyone stood on edge. Dustin’s screams made all of them jump.

“DEMODOG! OH SHIT! DEMODOG!” Dustin screamed, as everyone’s eyes and the beams of light traveled to the creature. The low growls emitting deep from its hideous mouth as it stalked around the group. The demodog was staring straight at El. Hopper was about to run to El but Steve beat him to it, Steve jumped in front of El and the demodog seemed to have taken it as a sign to attack.

\------------

Steve had been laying in bed when he heard Dustin’s frantic screeches that were broken up with static. Steve put his head under a pillow, trying to drown out Dustin’s voice until Steve managed to make out 2 words through the static that made his breath catch in his throat.

“House… Demodogs…” Oh my god. Please tell me Dustin’s alright. Steve shot upward and basically fell out of his bed and sprinted towards his supercom. Before Steve could start speaking into the radio, Hopper’s voice can through.

“Kid, you’ve gotta slow down. If you keep talking that fast we won’t be able to understand.” Hopper said calmly, Steve put the radio down and began putting on a pair of jeans and grabbing a random green shirt and grabbed his gray jacket that he wore the last time he faced the demodogs and Billy. Steve made sure to grab his bat and he ran downstairs with the radio and threw on his shoes and sprinted to his car. Steve finally tuned back into reality just as Dustin finished telling his story.

“I looked out my window because the growls were weird and I saw them. The demodogs. They were in the woods but my house light was still able to show them. They were looking at me and then they turned and walked into the woods.” Dustin rambled out as Steve was pulling out of his driveway. Steve picked up the supercom and held it to his mouth.

“I’m coming to pick you little shitheads up. So be ready. Mayfield, you’re first. Then Sinclair, and then Wheeler.” Steve said into the supercom as he sped down the road towards Max’s house. There was a chorus of ‘yes’ from the kids.

Steve pulled up to Max’s house in less than a minute, and then Max came sprinting out and jumped into the passenger seat and they were off to Lucas’ house. God, I hope Dustin’s okay. He must be flipping out. Steve looked at Max, who had her head turned away from him. 

“Hey, it’ll be okay.” Steve said, which made Max turn her head to him. Max’s expression was clearly worried but there was something else in the worry. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, which was enough to make Max respond to him.  
“I have a weird feeling about this.” Max said and Steve gave a small scoff.  
“I mean, going out into the woods to kill monsters always has a weird feeling about it.” Steve said, trying his best to reassure Max.  
“No, that’s not what I mean. I know what that feeling is, but this is somehow different. Just promise me that you’ll be careful. Out in the forest.” Max said, her bright blue eyes looking into Steve’s dark brown eyes.   
“Alright, I promise.” Steve said as they pulled up to Lucas’ house. Lucas must have been waiting outside because as soon as the car pulled up the door was flung open and Lucas jumped into the backseat. 

The ride to the Wheeler’s was quiet and fast. Steve pulled up and Mike sprinted out and opened the backseat door and slammed it shut. Steve gunned it to Dustin’s as soon as Mike was in the car. The ride only took about 30 seconds to get there. 

Steve swerved into the driveway and everyone quickly unbuckled and got out of the car. There was one other car sitting in the driveway that Steve recognized as Jonathan Byers’. Steve made all the kids go in front of him and he held the bat incase a demodog came barreling towards any of them.  
“You little shits better just go straight into the house. No detours.” Steve said, glancing around to make sure nothing was going to come out.

Luckily all of them managed to get inside Dustin’s house. Steve walked inside after Dustin let them in and saw Jonathan and Nancy were standing towards the kitchen and Will and Joyce were sitting on the coach and, judging from the gap in the middle of them, Dustin had been sitting in between them.

“Isn’t Hopper supposed to be here?” Steve asked, looking at the only other adult present, who was Joyce. Before Joyce could say anything, Nancy stepped up.

“He said it was going to take him at least 10 minutes to get here. Then we’ll form a plan from there.” Nancy reported to Steve, who nodded. Steve turned to Dustin, who almost glue to his side. Steve put a hand on Dustin’s back and lead him back to the coach. 

“Tell me everything, in detail from the beginning.” Steve said, and Dustin took a deep breath and started the long story.

\-----------

The demodog raced forward its mouth flared open and just as Hopper or Nancy could have gotten a shot at it, the demodog lunged at Steve. It latched its flower shaped mouth onto Steve’s left side of his stomach. Steve cried out in pain as the demodog landed back on the ground, which jerked Steve down so he was doubled over.

Nancy and Hopper didn’t want to risk shooting Steve, so Hopper rushed forward to Steve just as the demodog began to drag Steve into the woods. Steve was yelling weakly and clearly trying his best to get away from the monster but his body couldn’t do it well, without inflicting more pain. All of the group’s screams meshed together into chaos.

As soon as Hopper got a clear shot of the monster and took it. The demodog immediately crumpled but as it died it kept its mouth clamped onto Steve side. Hopper ran to Steve’s side and he could hear Steve’s weak gasps of air. Hopper’s heart broke as Dustin came running up behind Hopper, his flashlight shinning on Steve’s extremely pale face.

Steve’s eyes were unfocused and frantic and, even with the bright light shinning in them, his pupils were blown. Steve’s skin was pale and had a layer of sweat that shone very prominently. Steve’s shirt and the ground beneath him was already soaked with deep crimson red. Hopper looked at the mouth of the demodog and almost puked.

But he didn’t because 3 gunshot echoed through the woods. Hopper looked behind and saw 3 dead demodogs sprawled on the ground. Nancy relaxed her gun after and looked at Hopper, who nodded towards the other kids and Nancy tried make them all looked in a different direction.

Hopper quickly turned his attention back to Steve, who now had Dustin whispering to him. Dustin was stroking Steve’s wet hair away from his sweaty forehead. It would have been very sweet if in other circumstances, but Hopper had to help Steve now.

The demodog’s 5 petal shaped jaw pieces were latched onto Steve’s stomach. The tips of each piece was folded into Steve’s bloody flesh. Hopper looked at Jonathan who had a jacket on and waved him over. Jonathan ran over and when he got close he just blankly stared at Steve.  
“Jonathan?” Hopper called and it seemed to knock Jonathan back into reality.  
“Y-yeah?” Jonathan studdered out and he kept his eyes locked on Dustin and Steve.  
“I need you to take your jacket off right now and when I say go, you’re going to wrap the it around Steve’s wound and then put pressure on it. You can’t let up and even if he yells at you to stop, you can’t, okay?” Hopper said as he placed his hands onto one of the demodog’s jaw. Jonathan nodded and pulled his jacket off and held it in his hands.

“Hey, Steve? I’m going to have to remove this from your side. It’s going to be painful but I need you to let me do it-” Hopper said, but was cut off by Steve grabbing onto Hopper wrist with his blood covered hand and looking him in the eyes.  
“I… it’s bad, isn’t it?” Steve whispered to Hopper, his eyes showing how truly scared he was and it hit Hopper that Steve was only a kid.  
“Yeah, kid. It is but I need you to let me do this and focus on your breathing.” Hopper said and Steve nodded and pulled his hand away from Hopper’s arm, leaving a bloody hand print on his shirt. Hopper looked at Dustin.   
“Help him keep his breathing controlled.” Dustin nodded and started talking to Steve again.

Hopper pulled his full attention to Steve’s wound, he tightened his hands on the demodog's jaw. Hopper took a breath and pulled the jaw out of Steve’s flesh, which earned a pain filled scream from Steve. Dustin picked up Steve’s head and set his head in Dustin’s lap and continued to whisper to Steve. 

Hopper slipped his hand to the center of the demodog’s mouth and gripped the center of it. He took another breath and began to pull. The hundreds of teeth ripping one by one out of Steve’s body. Steve screams filled the woods once again, which made Dustin squeeze his eyes shut as tears slipped past his eyes lids.

“STOP! PLEASE! HOPPER! GOD! STOP PLEASE!” Steve screamed at the top of his lungs and Hopper continued to pulled the mouth away from Steve’s body. Steve dug his heals into the ground and gripped Dustin arm tightly. Dustin clearly couldn’t take hearing his friends screams anymore.

“You heard him! Stop! Hopper please!” Dustin yelled at Hopper, but Hopper didn’t listen and ripped the final jaw off of Steve’s body. Dustin’s pleds and Steve screams all morphing together, until the demodog was finally unattached from Steve.

“Jonathan! Go!” Hopper yelled and Jonathan lanched forward and wrapped his jacket around Steve’s wounds and pressed his hands on the wound. Steve let out a gasp and his head fell back onto Dustin’s lap and Dustin began to card his hands through Steve’s hair again.

Hopper lifted his bloody hands to his radio and turned the channel to a channel that only him and Sam Owens access.

“Owens! I need you now. Come in.” Hopper said into his radio, and he was forced to wait 10 seconds before he heard a response.  
“Chief? What’s-” Sam asked, but as soon as Hopper heard his voice he cut him off.  
“Steve Harrington has been bitten by one of the dogs. I need you now. We are about 2 miles into the forest by the Henderson’s house. Get here now.” Hopper almost yelled into the radio, but managed to keep his voice under control. Hopper sat on Jonathan’s right and he kept his hand on Steve’s shoulder and made sure Steve was awake.  
“Alright, Jim. We are going to be there in about 8 minutes-” Sam said, but Hopper wasn’t letting a kid die on his watch.  
“No! Get here now! I’m chief of police and I can cover it up! You can travel 90 mph for all I care. Just get here.” Hopper yelled and then turned his head away from Steve’s face to look at the bleeding, which had slowed slightly, but not enough to calm down.

“Steve!” Dustin screamed, which made Hopper snap his head back and looked at Steve. Steve’s eyes were closed. Hopper’s breath caught in his throat.  
“Kid, I need you to wake up again. Come on, kid. Steve, you’ve gotta open your eyes.” Hopper said, and Steve slowly blinked his eyes open and Hopper smiled.  
“There we go. You’re doing really great, Steve. Help is coming. You’re gonna be fine.” Hopper tried his best to comfort Steve but Steve just nodded and took gasping breaths as he laid in Dustin’s lap.

The rest of the kids had pushed past Nancy and were all standing around Steve. Max had kneeled down next to Dustin and grabbed onto Steve hand, not caring about the blood that was staining her skin. 

“Hi Steve.” Max said, her voice breaking with emotion. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it, I promise. You’ve survived so much shit, you can survive one demodog bite.”  
“Thanks for the encouragement, shithead.” Steve responded in a raspy voice and smiled, but the smile quickly contorted into a grimace.

Jonathan nudged Hopper’s arm well Max and Steve continued to talk. Hopper turned his attention to Jonathan, who nodded towards Steve’s wound.

Hopper lifted the edge of the jacket and looked under it. The bleeding had almost stopped but the skin around the wound was stained with blood. Everyone was jumped when Hopper’s radio went off with Doctor Owens’ voice.

“Chief, come in. Come in, Jim.”   
“Sam, where are you? The bleeding has almost completely stopped, but we are gonna still-” Hopper said but was quickly cut off.  
“We can’t get into the woods. You need to bring Steve back to the Henderson’s house and we can take of him from there.” Dr. Owens broke the news quickly to the group. Hopper looked at Steve, who’s eyes were wide and scared as he looked at Hopper.  
“Can you send some people in-” Hopper started but he was once again cut off.  
“Chief, we are but 2 miles in is a very wide vicinity and we need to get all of you out of there as soon as possible.” Dr. Owens left the rest unsaid because everyone heard the unsaid words. Blood attracts them. 

Hopper took a quick breath and looked at the rest of the kids and El. El had that look in her eyes that she always had whenever any of her friends were in danger. Hopper and El had a silent conversation. All El’s eyes were saying was, I can protect them. Hopper knew El was the best bet at protecting Steve and the rest of the party so their plan formed.

“Alright, doc. We’ll get to you soon.” Hopper said and with that shut the radio off.

“Steve, you think you can stand up just for a few seconds?” Hopper asked, knowing it was a lot for Steve to do only a few minutes after he was bitten by a demodog. Steve let out a breath and nodded. 

Steve released his grip on Max’s hand and reached towards Hopper. Hopper grabbed onto Steve’s hand and helped him sit up slowly. Steve let out a whimper of pain as he was pulled into a sitting position. Jonathan had to clamp his hands on either side of his jacket to make sure he was still putting pressure on the slightly still bleeding wound. Dustin and Max both put their hands on Steve’s back and shoulder. 

Steve closed his eyes and swallowed thickly and took a moment to breath before he nodded once again and Hopper helped pull Steve up onto his feet. Steve stumbled back and Hopper wrapped his arm around Steve shoulders as Steve let out a small ‘whow’.

“Are you dizzy?” Hopper asked and Steve hummed and nodded his head. Hopper gave Steve a few minutes before he lifted Steve up in a bridal style, which cause Steve to cry out in pain. Dustin sucked in a breath when he heard Steve cry in pain. Jonathan had to let up the pressure so he could rearrange himself and the jacket but quickly started applying pressure again and they began the walk back to Dustin’s house.

\------------

Hopper sighed when they finally saw Dustin’s house lights in the distance. Steve had vomited on Jonathan’s arm and neck about halfway back to the house. Jonathan had cringed slightly and flinched but keep the kids clamped on Steve wound. Now Steve had his arm loosely slung around Hopper’s shoulder and had his head resting on his shoulder. Steve’s eyes were closed but he would give the occasional ‘I’m awake’ letting everyone know he wasn't sleeping.

They had surprisingly not had any run in with any demodogs, despite Steve have bleed all over Jonathan’s jacket and the ground. They had a few scares of some bushes rustling but they quickly debunked it once a squirrel jump out.

Mike, Lucas, and Will all ran ahead, screaming at the EMT’s to come quickly. Hopper looked down at Steve, who had revived enough to lift his head and look at Dustin and Hopper.

“You’re not going to leave me, right?” Steve asked, wincing as he spoke. Hopper smiled sadly and opened his mouth to say something but Dustin beat him to it.  
“Are you kidding me, Steve?! Of course we aren’t leaving you!” Dustin yelled and Hopper gave him a looked that clearly said, keep it down.

Hopper looked up from Steve to see 2 EMT’s running towards them with a stretcher as they neared the driveway. They took in the sight before them. A police chief holding a pale, bloody teen in his arms well another teen, who was covered in vomit held a bloody jacket against the injured teen’s side.

“Chief, please put him down on the stretcher.” One of the EMT’s said and Hopper leaned forward to lay Steve on the stretcher but Steve grabbed onto Hopper’s sleeve. Steve looked at Hopper with scared eyes and Hopper gave him a comforting smile, which made Steve’s hand relax slightly and Hopper laid Steve down on the stretcher and the EMT’s began to assess him. They had Jonathan keep pressure, just as precaution and everyone felt bad for Jonathan because he was covered in vomit and had blood all over him and he was holding a jacket to one of his friend’s injury.

“Dusty! Oh my goodness! What happened?” A voice from the house yelled, everyone looked over to see Claudia Henderson running over to Dustin and engulf him in a hug. 

“Sir, we need to get him to a hospital.” One of the EMT’s said to Hopper. Hopper looked back at Dustin, who clearly wasn’t going to be able to ride with them to the hospital. Hopper then looked at Joyce.

“Joyce, I need you to take El ba-” Hopper started, but was cut off by a voice he didn’t expect to hear.  
“No.” El said as she pushed past everyone and stood by the stretcher and put a hand on the edge of it. “Coming.”  
“El, we both know you can’t-” Hopper was cut of once again by a different voice.

“Chief, I could work something out.” Sam Owens said as he came forward.  
“Sir, we need to leave.” The EMT said again, and Hopper looked from Owens to El and sighed. Hopper nodded and the EMT’s began to get the stretcher and Steve and Jonathan into the ambulance. El and Hopper fallowed into it. Once Jonathan, Hopper, and El was seated, the closed the doors and sped off to the hospital.

Steve had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and the EMT’s were taking his vitals and checking his heartbeat and having Jonathan change the jacket to a large gauze pad and on occasion to check the bleeding. Steve had tears running down his cheeks and trailing down the mask’s outline. El noticed this and moved up towards his head and began to run her fingers through his hair and play with his hair. Steve seemed to relax slightly as she did it. El was whispering something to Steve that Hopper could barely hear.

“Going to be okay. Breath. In, out. In out. Breath. In, out. In, out.” El said each phrase many times to Steve. El felt connected to Steve when she first met him at the Byers’ house that night after the gate. She didn’t even know Steve very well, but she clearly cared deeply for him. El was looking into Steve’s scared eyes and continued to pet his hair and said some new thing to him.

“Soft.” El said quietly and Steve looked at her confused.  
“What?” Steve rasped out, his voice muffled by the mask.  
“It soft.” El said as she continued to pet Steve’s hair. Steve seemingly understood what El was referring to and smiled under the mask.  
“‘M glad you’re here, El.” Steve said, his voice fading beneath the mask.

El continued to run her fingered through Steve’s hair, until she couldn’t. Until he was rushed into the back of the ER. El stood at the entrance of the ER shocked that Steve had disappeared so quickly. Hopper walked up behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the waiting room. Jonathan stood awkwardly in the middle of the waiting room, smelling horrible from the vomit, which had soaked through his shirt and ruined it.

A nurse walked up to Jonathan and handed him some scrubs to put on. She smiled when Jonathan took the scrubs and squeezed his non vomited on shoulder and said something that left Jonathan shocked. Jonathan left to go to the bathroom to get changed and make a few phone calls.

Hopper looked back at El, who was longingly looking at the ER doors. Hopper put a hand on her shoulder, which didn’t even make her look at him.

“El,” Hopper said and that earned her attention and she looked at him with wide eyes, “he’s going to be okay. He’s strong.”

“I know.” El said and smiled sadly. She turned her head back to the ER doors. “Strong.”

\--------------

When Jonathan came back, he still looked shocked. When he sat down next to Hopper, Hopper looked at him.

“What did she say?” Hopper asked and Jonathan looked at him confused.  
“W-what?” Jonathan asked that police officer.  
“What did the nurse say?” Hopper clarified, and Jonathan seemed to get the slightest blush.  
“She… she said that they’d take good care of my… boyfriend.” Jonathan said, and Hopper didn’t expect that.   
“And why are you so flustered by that? It was just a misunderstanding.” Hopper asked, and Jonathan seemed to relax when Hopper said the word misunderstanding.  
“I don’t know, I guess its because I’m dating his ex girlfriend and you know my dad was not… the nicest about…” Hopper nodded at Jonathan reasoning.

Jonathan and Hopper’s heads were drawn to the ER entrance and saw Joyce, Nancy, Mike, Lucas, a teary eyed Max and Dustin, and Mrs. Henderson. They all took their seats in the waiting room and well all that happened, El kept her eyes glued to the ER doors… waiting for Steve.

\------------

It was 6 hours of waiting before Steve’s doctor came out and El stood immediately and dragged Hopper over to him, before the doctor could even call Steve’s name. The doctor looked tired but smiled at them. Dustin and Max both ran up behind and listened well the doctor told them everything.

“You must be here for Steve Harrington. Alright, so we had to operate on his wound and extract these strange, almost teeth-like objects from his muscle and tissue. He lost quite a bit of blood but we are replenishing it through his IV now. The skin almost completely destroyed but will heal in time. That animal really did a number on him, but he will most likely make a full recovery in at least 5 months.” The doctor said before El interrupted him.

“See him?” El asked and Max and Dustin both nodded.  
“Well only 2 can see him until he wakes up, which won’t before at least an hour.” The doctor said, and El looked at Hopper pleading. Hopper turned around to Dustin and Max.  
“You two can come see him as soon as he wakes up.” Hopper said, and as soon as Dustin and Max opened their mouths to argue. Hopper held up a hand.  
“No, an adult has to be there and Steve finds comfort with El being with him.” Hopper said and pointed back to the waiting area. Dustin and Max both reluctantly went back to their seat.

Hopper looked back at the doctor and he lead El and Hopper down the hall to Steve’s recovery room. Hopper put a hand on El’s shoulder as the doctor opened the door to Steve’s room. The room’s walls were cream white and the blankets were a light blue. There were 2 blue plastic chairs on either side of Steve’s bed and brown cabinets above the bed and an IV pole on Steve’s left.

El didn’t even freeze when she saw Steve laying in the bed, his eyes closed. She walked in and immediately sat next to him and began to stroke his hair, just like she did in the ambulance. Hopper slowly made his way to the other side of Steve and sat down in the other chair and watched El whisper to Steve. El didn’t even look up from him for the 1 hour and a half it took Steve to wake up.

Hopper was staring into nothing when he heard a stifled groan. Hopper immediately look at Steve, who had seemingly made the noise and saw his eyes moving beneath his lids. El had been petting Steve’s hair and holding his hand the entire time the two had been lead to the room.

Hopper leaned forward and looked a Steve’s face as he slowly regained consisness. El watched intentivly as Steve slowly blinked his eyes open and they focused on El’s face. El smiled brightly and Steve smiled back, looking somewhat groggy and disoriented.

“Heeey…” Steve’s greeting was dragged out and long. El laughed softly and patted Steve’s hair.  
“Hi.” El responded, and she grabbed onto Steve’s hand.  
“Where’s Dustin?” Steve slurred out, and El looked at Hopper, who leaned forward a bit more and caught Steve’s attention.  
“He’s in the waiting room with Max and everyone else.” Hopper said and Steve’s eyes said everything. “I’m guessing you want to see them?” Steve nodded and Hopper got up to go retreve the kids from the waiing room.

Once Hopper left the room, Steve looked back at El and smiled. His smile was lopsided from the drugs that were coursing through his body.   
“Okay?” El asked, and Steve nodded as Dustin and Max slowly walked through the doors. Hopper walked up behind them and watched. Max stayed near Hopper and didn’t come to close to Steve, well Dustin marched up to Steve.

“Hey, shitheads.” Steve said lazily, and Dustin smiled widly and Max gave a small smile.  
“Hi, Steve.” Dustin said to Steve, trying to keep his voice on a lower level. Steve looked at Max, who had her arms crossed across her chest and her eyes were teary.  
“Guys, can you leave me and Max alone for a little while. I need to talk to her.” Steve said, and both Dustin and El began to protest but Hopper cut them off.  
“Steve’s the one in the hospital, you all respect what he wants.” Hopper said, sternly and El and Dustin got up to walk out the door. Before Dustin left, he looked back at Steve.  
“Only for a few minutes.”  
“Bye, Dustin.” Steve said and Hopper guided Dustin and El into the hallway and closed the door.

Once the door closes, Steve looks at Max, who is still standong towards the door with her head down.  
“Max, please come over here.” Steve said gently and Max slowly walked over to the right side of Steve’s hospital bed. Steve looked at Max’s face. Tears were flowing from here eyes as she hugged herself. Steve lifted his hand and gently grabbed Max’s hand.

Max looked at Steve when his hand lightly grabbed her hand. Steve gave her a small, lopsided smile and that seemed to only make Max’s eyes water more.  
“Hey, I’m okay-” Steve said lightly but Max’s exspression hardened and she cut him off.  
“No! Stop saying you’re okay when you aren’t! You almost died! I thought you were going to die!” Max said loudly, causing concern from Hopper, who was standing next to Dustin and El in the hallway. Steve’s smile fell from his face at Max’s outburst.

“Okay, you’re right. Maybe I wasn’t okay when the…thing happened but I’m going to be okay now.” Steve said, trying desperatly to comfort Max, who had seemingly calmed down from the outburst.  
“Yeah but…but what if…” Max trailed off as fresh tears sprang into her eyes.  
“Hey. It takes a lot more than a monster to take Steve the hair Harrington down.” Steve said, which made Max give a small laugh. Steve patted the side of the bed and Max laid down on the bed next to Steve.

Hopper knocked on the door at least 5 times before cracking open the door and seeing Steve and Max sleeping. Steve had his arm wrapped around Max’s shoulder and Max had her head resting on Steve’s shoulder as they both slept. Hopper let Dustin and El back into the room and El went back to her previous spot and Dustin went up to Steve to say goodbye for the night to him because his mom wanted to bring Dustin home soon. 

Dustin walked up to Steve quietly and was about to say something when Steve blinked his eyes open and looked at Dustin, his eyes were half lidded. Steve smiled but it contorted into a grimace as he grunted in pain and brought his hand to his injured side.

Dustin looked at Hopper, who was already leaving the room to get a doctor to give Steve some pain medication.

“Hey Steve. My mom is going to bring me home for the night but I wanted to say bye. I’ll be back tomorrow. El and Hopper and I guess Max are going to stay with you for the night.” Dustin babbled out quietly, to not disturb Max. Steve nodded as the doctor come in with Hopper close behind. The doctor held a suring that contained a clear fluid and injected it into Steve’s IV. El, Dustin, Steve, and Hopper all watched as the doctor injected it. 

The doctor made sure to be quiet, considering that there was someone sleeping. He left after giving Steve the morphine through his IV. Dustin gave Steve a gentle hug goodbye, being careful of Steve’s injury.

Dustin walked over to the door and Hopper lead him back to his mom in the waiting room. El got up and crawled into the hospital bed and, being careful of Steve’s injury, laid down next to Steve and rested her head on his shoulder as her eyes slowly fell shut. Steve felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time and it was happy. Maybe his side had turned into a demodog’s chewtoy and he would have to go through the grulling recovery process but he would have his true family with him the whole time.

Hopper came back to Steve in the middle of two sleeping teens, and Steve two was a few seconds away from crashing himself since the drug had taken effect. Steve smiled at Hopper as he fell asleep with some of his favorite people in the room with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thnk you so much for reading! I'm sorry if there are any grammar errors or anything like that! Sometimes my brain spits out ideas before I can write some words down. I try to proof read but I don't always see every error. I hope you all are safe and healthy!   
> Love you all <3  
> -Emma


End file.
